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Best therapy options for autistic people?

Leni

I'm studying to become a counsellor at the moment, only on my level 3. But I joined a study group on facebook and today a lady asked what the best route/therapy type would be most beneficial for autistic people. 

Now the thread is full of comments of lots of trainee counsellors who want to work with us but there isn't a great deal of research into therapy types. 

My question to you is what is your opinion or experience of therapy? Which ones would you recommend or have helped the most? I could only give them my opinion of my experience but would like to try and offer a bit more advice.

As an autistic person myself I was truly touched by the sheer amount of people who want to understand us and how to help us thrive. I feel it's up to us to help them thrive in their understanding.

You don't need to go into detail if you don't want to, just the type of therapy and how helpful you found it. Hope you can help me to help them.

An extra note. I hope you all managing to find some way to deal with the challenges of lockdown Blue heart

  • I started my career as a nurse, but I didn't want to completely change the direction of my studies to spend a few more years studying. I almost finished PA, chose a master's degree in ADAPT, and have been working with autistic children as a therapist for several years now. I studied https://www.otcareerpath.com/occupational-therapist/salary and there is no point in going into this profession for the money. You have to love children. And any therapy will depend on how much you value your name rather than your salary, although insurance won't pay for itself

  • Hi Leni, I was extremely lucky to secure a placement with my local NHS who run a diagnostic clinic for ASD they are called SAANS (based in Sheffield) they offer support including Occupational health and have Psychologists and Counsellors to offer support to patients with late diagnosis. Maybe you could look up what the NHS have in your area.  I have found the work extremely rewarding and my modality is Person centred, but feel the perfect solution to help and support Autistic clients would be an Autistic counsellor, I know many of my clients would have benefitted hugely from someone who can truly identify and empathise with them.  I wish you ever success and feel you will be extremely Successful should you be able to secure a position in this field.  Alternatively look at different charities as I also Counsel at at a Charity called Rotherham Parents Carers Forum that supports parents with Autistic children.  

    If you need any help or support please don’t hesitate to contact me.  

    Best wishes 

  • in reply to JLyn

    Lol, I recognise this.  I didn't talk to a lot but I regret some of the conversations I had while still in shock.  And the way I handled the shock (lots of outbursts).

  • The problem with therapy/ counselling etc is working out what you are trying to treat. So some with autism did to their struggles develop anxiety or depression. So if you are aiming to treat these, let’s call them the side effects of autism it will require a different approach to managing the autism itself. So having a clear scope of what you aim to achieve is essential. Thereafter it’s really just finding what works, CBT works for some where as more structured talk based therapy works for others, and there are other options as well. I dong think any is better than another, rather individuals respond in different ways, so if one way doesn’t work for you, try a different approach. I guess what I’m saying is a rigid ‘one size fits all’ doesn’t work too well with autism, in part because of the range of different people on the spectrum but also because it’s life long and can’t be ‘cured’ as such meaning progress can’t be measured in the same way it can be in say depression or anxiety. I’m not sure if my view helped, I hope it has in some way. 

  • in reply to Roswell

    Yes, I think that a good therapist gradually helps you to realise that you have what it takes within yourself and helps you to harness your own powers and your own self will etc

  • in reply to Plectrum

    I agree that a few sessions post diagnosis would have been really helpful, a safe place to talk it through. I didn’t have that and so stupidly spoke to loads of people about it in a knee jerk reaction way from the shock of the diagnosis. Social cares mantra atm is preventative services, that could be one.

  • I like therapy, it helped get me through some difficult situations. I think my favourite therapist was one who worked for an Autism charity and their attitude was I should believe in myself more, and if I would say I couldn't do something, they would say with a smile why not, or something along those lines. 

    They helped me have more self-belief. 

    I'm not sure what approach they were taking, I think it was humanistic.

  • Generally the therapy should fit the issue, not the issue fit the therapy. In my experience counselling is fine if your a bit sad because your goldfish died, and CBT is fine if your nervous about picking up paper after getting a paper cut. For anything more in depth your better off self-prescribing smarties.

  • Hi there, I have found counseling to be pretty pointless if the person delivering it knows nothing about Asperger's. I have had couple of therapists who pretended to know, probably to get the job, then I would spend all of my time educating them! Overall, I don't think many NTs understand it in any depth, or care to be honest. 

  • I would just like to get some, and not have to have a mental illness first. I was assessed and classified as autistic and high functioning, as if that excuses the health service from having to give me any support.

    I hardly ever have to go to the doctor and I've only been ill once in the last 12 years, so I'm hardly draining the service. I just think a package of say 5 sessions as a post diagnosis service, would go a long way. Waiting until I have a mental illness, burnout or breakdown or self harm and can't work or cope is surely a false economy.

    I have obsessive rumination and thought loops as well as demand avoidance, so some kind of behavioural therapy with goals and homework would be good. I'd also like a bit of family /couple therapy because my relationship is on thin ice.

    A dear forum friend has recommended adapted CBT for autism with OCD